In my opinion, neck straps are very dangerous things to wear around propellers, specially when the transmitter is not hanging from them.

I use the pinch system only because I have tendency to over control using only my thumb. With that being said, I do use my thumb on the throttle stick. I think I do that because of having the trainer switch above the left stick. That way I can pull the trainer switch with my index finger and keep my thumb on the throttle. I'm working with an older student that if he tries the pinch technique he squeezes that hell out of the sticks and his fingers go numb. SOOOOO, he uses his thumbs.

Agreed that using a neck-strap could be disastrous if not careful around a spinning prop. That's why I only don my radio strap AFTER the engine is warmed up and I'm standing up, getting ready to launch the plane.

One day I was starting up an engine with my strap dangling down, one of the other pilots walked over and suggested I flip it around so it was on my back. Sounded good to me and I have been in the habit of flipping it around ever sense, that was a lot of years ago. Another one of those things I don't need to think about, it just happens. Habits are great if they are good ones. I never think about moving a stick, I just think I want the plane to do something and it happens. The tray guys all wear the straps but they don't dangle, the plane is fired up and then the pilot connects the two clips. Funny, I never fly my own planes without a strap but when I fly someone Else's I never use one. Nothing to dwell on, it's just one of those things that I never question and I just thought about now.

This works for me, your mileage may vary:
Pinch the sticks with my fingers
Use a transmitter tray with hand rests

"Someone" thinks each method is best, and they are absolutely correct. Whatever works for them is best for them but may or may not be good for the next person.

Have we beaten this subject down yet? Two threads about the same subject. Ok. Whatever.

CGr.

Personally, I prefer to hold the Tx in my hands and use my thumbs on the sticks.  It just seems more natural and comfortable to me.  It's purely a matter of personal choice.  Try both methods and stick with the one that you are more comfortable with.

Thanks for the good advice, top gun. What method do top guns use? I mean the pros like Altuz and Mark Leseberg?</p>

I just hold it and use my thumbs. Part of that is because I use my DX5e to control my touring car, where a neck strap would just get in the way, and part of that is I've always held stick radios like that since I was three years old playing with my dad's Frog way back when those were huge. I've tried the strap-and-pinch method with my heli and it just feels awkward, not to mention the heli looks like it's pilot has consumed three bottles of Smirnoff when I do that.

I have never used a neck strap. I hold the radio and use my thumbs. If I am doing a low inverted pass I use my thumb and finger on the right hand because it is harder to get confused and pull the stick back when you meant to push it forward. I read that full scale pilots do the same thing for the same reason. Wrapping your hand around a control stick can get you killed if you pull instead of push. I read that in a book by Frank Tallman. We all know who he is, right?